rowland



No. 622,655. Paiented Apr. 4, i899. T'. F. ROWLAND.

HYDRAULIC ACCUHULATUR MECHANISM.

(Application filed Apr. 21, 1897,\

2 Sheets-$heet L (No Model.)

' UN TED STATES PATnN'r rrion,

THOMAS F. ROWLAND, OF NEW YORK, NQY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,655, dated April 4, 1899.

Application filed April 21, 1 8 9 7.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. ROWLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Hydraulic Accumulator Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the same.

The present improvements relate to hydraulic machinery employed to accumulate and put water or a like motive fluid under high pressure and of the kind involving telescopic cylinders one of which is fixed and the other being movable or traveling in or on the other and being loaded or weighted.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved means whereby the traveling and loaded member of the accumulator can be gradually arrested without injury to the nontraveling parts of the mechanism at each end of the range of travel of such loaded member, as also to provide new and improved means for positively arresting the moving and loaded member to prevent it getting out of operative relation with the fixed member.

In general terms the invention consists of a fixed cylinder constituting the fixed member, a loaded cylinder or movablemember arranged to move telescopically on or in the fixed member, and valve mechanism arranged between the two members and operating at either end of the range of movement of the movable member to gradually shut ed the flow of the motive fluid from one member to the other as also to arrest the movable member.

Referring to the drawings accompanying this description, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of a form of vertical accumulator mechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar se ction,-but on enlarged detail plan, of the upper end of the apparatus, the outer telescopic member being shown in its lower position and the valve between the two members being shown as raised or open, as when the motive fluid is being first forced from the inner member into the outer member. Fig. 3 shows a like section, but illustrating how the valve parts act to cut off the supply of fluid from the inner member to the Serial No. 633,038. (No model.)

outer. member at the time the loaded outer member is reaching its highest point of travel, as also how the movable member is positively arrested.

Referring to the views in detail, A represents the base of the machine, to which. is at'- tached in any suitable way the cylindrical structure B, which is the inner or fixed member of the system and which may be of a diameter and extent vertically in accordance with the working requirements of the machine.

O and D .indicate supply and discharge pipes to and from the inner member, either of which pipes'the said pipe O, for examplemay be connected to a pump or other source of fluid-pressure, while the other pipe-D, for example-4s supposed to extend to an apparatus in which the motive fluid is to do work,

E is a cylindrical structure which is the outer member of the system and which moves telescopically on the inner member. This movable member is provided with a platform F, on which is carried a series of weights G or any other suitable load. Preferably, however, the load consists of the said plates G, which are usually of iron and which should be in form adapting them to be firmly held upon the platform F in any suitable numbers. At the upper end of the inner member B is located the valve-seat G, which, as is shown at H, is of conical form. The outer member E carries, fixed to its removable and closing cap I, an axial rod J, the length of which corresponds to the range of motion of the outer member on the inner. At the upper end of this rod is an annular shoulder K, and above this shoulder and on the rod. J at M is mounted the valve N, the seating portion 0 of which is of conical form corresponding to the valve-seat H in the inner member.

Then the apparatus is not in operation or uns-ubjected to action from the pumps, the parts will be in position substantially as seen in Fig. l-that is, the outer member will rest directly on the lower through a bodyof the motive fluid trapped and held between the members. Upon starting the pumps and for the purpose of effecting and maintaining a pressure on the motive fluid supplied'thereby the inner member B will be filled with water movement measured by the length of the rod J between the said shoulder K and the lower head end of the rod. If the motive fluid be exhausted through the pipe D, as in case of draft therefrom for the purposes of operating mechanism connected therewith or in the case of the accidental rupture of the pipe D or C, then when the outer member descends upon the inner member and 'j ust before it reaches the limit of its downward stroke the valve N will begin to enter the beveled or conical seat H and gradually shut off the flow of the mo- 1 tor-fluid from the outer member to the inner 3 until such flow is fully stopped, and this be- 1 fore the two members come into physical contact with each other, thus retaining between i the two members a body of water which will not act to positively arrest the outer one and as i a cushion to prevent undue shock to the parts of the system.

The lower end of said rod J is provided I with a conical valve part P, the largest diamei ter of which corresponds to the diameter of the lower opening Q of said valve-seat G. Attached to the extreme end of this rod J is head R, the greater diameter of which is larger than that of the lower opening through the said valve-seat G, so that the shouldersf S of the said head may engage the said seat.

In case of the motor fluid being unduly supplied to the accumulator mechanism, as in; event of non-use of said fluid through the pipe D and the continuous action of the storage-pumps through the pipes O, the outer member, with its load, will rise to a point where the valve P will begin to gradually cut ofl the supply of water from the inner mem- 1 ber to the outer member, and at the time of f such supply being cut off between the two members the head It will be gradually and. easily brought to contact with the said valveseat G and the outer member arrested, so that any excess pressure will be sustained by the inner member and held as against any further l pump action.

The essential point inthis regard is that any accidental or unintentional i continuance of the action of the storagepumps will be prevented from running the outer member of the accumulator off from the inner member of the same, and this without shock as the members come in contact.

What is claimed as new is- 1. In combination with the outer and inner telescopic'members of a hydraulic accumulator, one having movement in or on the other, a valve mechanism fixed to the outer member and acting in conjunction with the other member to arrest the movable member at each end of its range of movement.

2. In combination with the outer and inner telescopic members of a hydraulic accumulator, one having movement in or on the other, a valve mechanism fixed to the outer member and acting to gradually cut oif the fluid communication between the two members and to arrest the movable member at each end of its range of movement.

3. In combination in a hydraulic accumulator, two cylindricalimembers arranged telescopically one carrying an axial rod provided at each end with valve mechanism adapted to close the passage of communication between the two members.

4. In combination in a hydraulic accumulator two cylindrical members arranged telescopically, one carrying an axial rod provided at each end with valve mechanism adapted to gradually close the passage of communication between the two members, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination with the two members of the herein-described hydraulic accumulator, a conical or inclined passage between the same, an axial rod carried by one of the members and provided with two valves positioned a distance apart corresponding to the range of I movement of the traveling members,whereby said passage is closed at each end of said range of movement by the said valves.

6. In combination with the two members of a hydraulic accumulator, an axial rod carried by one-of said members and extending through a passage of communication between the same, a valve movably carried on said rod and adapted to close the passage connection between the two members, for the purpose of preventing them coming into shocking contact when the movable member is at its lower limit of range of movement.

'7. In combination with the two members of a hydraulic accumulator, an axial rod carried by one of said members and extending through a conical or inclined passage of communication between the same, a conical or inclined valve movably carried on said rod and adapted to close the passage connection between the two members, for the purpose of preventingthem coming into shocking contact when the movable member is at its lower limit of range of movement.

8. In combination with the members of a hydraulic accumulator, an axial rod fixed to the outer member and provided with a head or projecting part adapted to engage the inner end of the inner member to limit the range of movement of said movable member in one direction.

9. The combination, with a hydraulic cylinder and a piston 01' ram, either of said members being movable relatively to the other, of an internal automatic check mechanism actuated by the moving member, for graduating and checking the flow of fluid to or from the cylinder at and adjacent to the limits of the traverse of the moving member.

10. The combination, with a hydraulic cylinder and a piston or ram, either of said members being" movable relatively to the other, of a supply-pipe connected to one of said members, a delivery-passage in one of said members, establishing communication between the supply-pipe and the other member, a stem or bar connected to the other member, and re- IO ducers formed by enlargements of said stem or bar in position to be Within and partially close the delivery-passage at and near the limits of the traverse of the movable member. THOS. F. ROWLAND. Witnesses:

LILLIE WAOHSMUTI-I, Rom". F. GAYLORD. 

